Dome City

[steriaca]

This thread is for thoughts about this idea for a series of introduction adventures which lead to a closed world setting.

 

What we have so far:

 

Thoes who try to cross the dangerous parts of the dome are vaperized.

 

One big bad guy is The Skull, and his goons The Skulls. They try to control the entire city as a step on controlling and conquering the world.

 

The "dome" may not be The Skull's work. He could be taking advantage of a third party.

[steriaca]

Any ideas for this "event" series of adventures?

[Duke Bushido]

Two adventures prior to the raising of the dome?  Something to sort of introduce the characters to their environment and then to the long-running cast of villains.  In the background should be hints of "things to come," such as a notable recent increase in "super crimes" or supers in general.  Hmm....  Wonder what could be causing that?

 

The Skull....

Someone far more intelligent that one would expect.  A noted but-not-quite-big-league crime boss who has somehow remained just elusive enough-- blame his intelligence for that-- to not be caught.

 

Looking at that idea:

 

(sorry; this is how I think.  Ask Chris G; he's seen other samples of it   )

 

I like the Skull as an intelligent man who got through life assuming his intelligence would assure his success.  Give some some science tech skills and background with which he had expected to make his fortune.  Needing funding for something important to him, and failing to secure it through normal channels (the shock of his first failure!), he turned to other outlets for cash, only to find that when his research paid off big, it paid off for the crooks from whom he had secured the money.  Intrigued by possibilities of success through organized crime, and burning with arrogant rage at having been "swindled" by intellectual inferiors (who _did_ understand business, of a sort), he vowed to not only build an empire, but to demonstrate to the world that they are nothing before him; they are mere pawns for his greatness.

 

A decade later, he has a strange dual-identity as tech science research guy _and_ "the Skull," rising star of crime set to become a power player.  He has taken the name figuring that it inspires fear (and maybe it used to, but that's a half-century or so ago), and played it up big.  Shaves his head and draws "tattoos" on his face to make himself look more skull-like.  

 

His organization is still fairly simple: primarily a two-stage operation with two or three loosely-organized street gangs reporting to a level of suits, who do the bulk of the organization and the white-collar stuff.  Knowing the importance of quick cash, he has used his expertise to create portable "chem labs" to manufacture designer drugs: he can be up and running in an hour, and strike set even faster.  The drug money fuels his day-to-day operation.  His goal, ultimately, is to do something with his scientific genius to showcase his intelligence, but he's not stupid: he knows he needs money.

 

Then X.

 

X being his discovery of "the device."  Did he build it?  Did his research lead him to it?  Did he discover it completely on accident?  Perhaps something kept interfering in his other research.  Tracking down the --

 

crap.  How's this as a starter idea?   His idea to highjack the world's communication satellites and hold them for ransom-- or perhaps simply use them as a spy and blackmail device, never letting on that they were under his control; season to taste) failed because of constant signal interference on what his research told him should be the perfect band / wavelength / whatever; ask a tech guy-- for taking over the sat system.  Tracking down the source of his interference, he finds a hidden trove of super-tech.  From here, it's a matter of what direction you'd prefer to go in later, as it doesn't matter now.  The tech could be alien.  It could be left here by Norsemen (if you want to screw with history a bit).  It could be a long-abandoned station from which Dr. Destroyer himself had once, many years ago, had planned to lay siege to this very city.  It could be one of Mechanon's many reincarnation stations.  These last two are more if your ultimate goal is to coax new players into the established "official" universe.  They do come with the problems that-- well, you're playing with someone else's stuff.

 

As he begins researching and playing with the equipment (which he will eventually figure out, because he really is quite intelligent and quite skilled with tech), the fields and signals it produces begin to strengthen and interfere with the world around him-- not quite perceptibly, but enough to trigger "changes" in sensitive people: our newly-hatched super villains, and perhaps, if they are lacking for a backstory of their own, our new heroes as well.

 

(obviously, this is the equipment that will ultimately result in The Dome, which may or may not have been on purpose, though our wily villain will use its existence to further brag of his brilliance, and will find a way to make use of the Dome itself, be it ransoming everyone in the city or threatening various wealthy nations to do the same to their capitals or even their various armies.)

 

Just a few thoughts; nothing concrete.  

 

Next?

 

 

 

[theinfn8]

Interesting. Is the city unified under one "government"? Does the dome enclose just the city or a bit of biome around it?

 

The city could be a failed utopian society attempt and be kind of a post apocalypse setting. There's still some pretty advanced tech hidden within the city, which is fractured into small warlord domains. The Skulls could have control of most of the city, but not the part that would give them the tech they're seeking. Your heroes could either fall in with The Skulls accidentally on arrival, neutralize their opposition, and then realize their mistake (in typical comic style). Or they connect with the "good guys" out the gate and need to help them defend against attacks that are part raid, part search party.

 

Just some random ideas to get the gears moving.

[steriaca]

Here is the idea layout for the first "chapter".

 

Part 1: The heroes vs Skulls to get a rare element from a local scientist. The Skull doesn't actually need it, but it would be nice for him to have extra, just in case. Part 1 is to learn basic combat.

 

Part 1.5: Feel free to allow the players to investigate The Skulls. Gives you an excuse to work thoes skills and tallents.

 

Part 2: The heroes respond to a major and rather public bank robbery committed by The Skulls and various hiered supervillains. This is a major event, as it servrs as a distraction while The Skull activates the device and dome the city.

 

Part 3: The heroes investigate the dome itself. There should be no way through it, to break it, and it's sourse of energy is unknown.

 

Part 3.5: The villains are just as trapped inside Dome City as the heroes. Allow for some teaming up for a "good" cause between some villains and the heroes.

 

Part 4: The episode closes with Skulls assasinating various city scientist. Can thw heroes save them?

 

And that ends chapter 1...

[steriaca]

Chapter 2.

 

Part 1: The heroes meet with the mayor, police chief, police commissionor, and the fire commissionor. Seems people are riotig for suplyes. How much can the heroes protect the city.

 

Part 2: Skull says he will allow shipments to go into the dome, if the city surenders.

 

[Ninja-Bear]

How about calling the main guy  Cyberskull? 

[steriaca]

5 hours ago, Ninja-Bear said:

How about calling the main guy  Cyberskull? 

Personality, no. But if you want to rename him, go ahead.

[steriaca]

The Skull

 

A science wonderkin. Unbenounce to anyone, his vast intelligence is his mutant power. Disenfranchised because people have been taking credit for his discoveries, and not funding his more radical ideas, he turned to crime.

 

Powers:

High INT score, with tons of INT based tallents.

High EGO.

Mental Defense.

Skull shaped mask which provides the following:

 °OMCV vs DCV Telekinesis (Psychokenetic Beam from the "eyes" of the mask)

 °OMCV vs DCV Blast (Psychokenetic Beam released from the "eyes" of the mask).

 °Increase in Mental Defense

 °Extra "Limbs", OMCV vs DCV (Psychokenetic Beams released from the "eyes" of the mask).

 °Stretching (Only with extra limbs)

 °The ability to use choak hold with extra limbs.

 

Note: Skull could be our version of Black Mantra without the water. And a touch of Darth Vader with the choak hold. But mostly Black Mantra.

[steriaca]

To answer some questions:

 

There should be some farmland surrounding the city which is also trapped under the dome. With some help, Dome City can be self sufficient with milk and eggs, as long as the cows and chickens hold out.

 

Plants might have a hard time under the dome, but they should recover with a little help. This is important because, well, bread and animal feed.

[death tribble]

It also depends on whether you have read The Dome by Stephen King. Air was a problem in that book. And local government control over the populace.

[steriaca]

27 minutes ago, death tribble said:

It also depends on whether you have read The Dome by Stephen King. Air was a problem in that book. And local government control over the populace.

Ah. Under The Dome. A two part book AND a tv series.

 

Never watched it myself, nor read the two books. But King wasn't doing an original idea here. He was taking an idea which was already in the air, and putting his own spin on it.

 

See the Simpsons Movie. "Under The D'oh-me".

[Duke Bushido]

1 hour ago, steriaca said:

To answer some questions:

 

There should be some farmland surrounding the city which is also trapped under the dome. With some help, Dome City can be self sufficient with milk and eggs, as long as the cows and chickens hold out.

 

Plants might have a hard time under the dome, but they should recover with a little help. This is important because, well, bread and animal feed.

 

 

This promotes a puzzle.

 

The closest we can get to large-scale (i.e., give a walled-off city a fighting chance) self-sufficient farming (in the US, anyway) is the western slope of Colorado.  An interesting growing season suited to various kinds of crops in all but actual snow season as well as little need to irrigate (some irrigation required for fruit trees and other crops) most crops and there is constant growth of indigenous grasses considered to be "low intake;   high yield" feed for stock (essentially "super food" for grazing animals: they don't need a lot of it to thrive).  That's all well and good.

 

 

But it's also one of the least-densely populated regions of the country.  :/   While I have no doubt that super powered individuals can come from any area, they seem to thrive in dense urban environments, at least far better than I ever could.    

 

So, pending your approval, I present to you (in uncharacteristic brevity-- you're welcome for that  ) the odd city of Hepzibah, Colorado:

 

 

Founded during early westward expansion when a largish wagon train, beset from the outset with problems, ended up on the wester slope of Colorado, and decided "good enough."  Farming was easy, though winters were hard.  

Hepzibah became a watering hole and supply stop for travelers from north coastal states heading west.  Some folks stayed.  The California gold rush brought much traffic (some of which stayed) through and during this period the city grew considerably.

 

Just as California went bust, gold was discovered on the western slope.  Hepzibah exploded.  In a few years, the gold played out (though there may remain large veins that were simply inaccessible at that time), but the miners did unearth an out-of-place deposit of coal.  Hepzibah could fuel industry.  Eventually that, too, played out, but by then, Hepzibah was an established (if minor, politically-speaking) metropolis.

 

Today, Hepzibah sits near the foothills of the western slope, surrounded by farm land and beautiful scenery.  Much the hillier area is home to solar farming and wind farming while the expanses of the lower slope are covered in farms.   It's primary industries today are technology, tourism, and agricultural trade, all of which seems to sit well with the farmers.  While Hepzibah today just barely qualifies as a major metropolis, it is invariably the city that Canadians point to as what an ideal American city should be:  clean and relatively quite.

 

Make it as big as you need it to be.  Add supers and government agencies as you like.

 

Or throw the whole thing away.  I'll use it for something else.  

 

 

[steriaca]

4 minutes ago, Duke Bushido said:

 

 

This promotes a puzzle.

 

The closest we can get to large-scale (i.e., give a walled-off city a fighting chance) self-sufficient farming (in the US, anyway) is the western slope of Colorado.  An interesting growing season suited to various kinds of crops in all but actual snow season as well as little need to irrigate (some irrigation required for fruit trees and other crops) most crops and there is constant growth of indigenous grasses considered to be "low intake;   high yield" feed for stock (essentially "super food" for grazing animals: they don't need a lot of it to thrive).  That's all well and good.

 

 

But it's also one of the least-densely populated regions of the country.  😕   While I have no doubt that super powered individuals can come from any area, they seem to thrive in dense urban environments, at least far better than I ever could.    

 

So, pending your approval, I present to you (in uncharacteristic brevity-- you're welcome for that  ) the odd city of Hepzibah, Colorado:

 

 

Founded during early westward expansion when a largish wagon train, beset from the outset with problems, ended up on the wester slope of Colorado, and decided "good enough."  Farming was easy, though winters were hard.  

Hepzibah became a watering hole and supply stop for travelers from north coastal states heading west.  Some folks stayed.  The California gold rush brought much traffic (some of which stayed) through and during this period the city grew considerably.

 

Just as California went bust, gold was discovered on the western slope.  Hepzibah exploded.  In a few years, the gold played out (though there may remain large veins that were simply inaccessible at that time), but the miners did unearth an out-of-place deposit of coal.  Hepzibah could fuel industry.  Eventually that, too, played out, but by then, Hepzibah was an established (if minor, politically-speaking) metropolis.

 

Today, Hepzibah sits near the foothills of the western slope, surrounded by farm land and beautiful scenery.  Much the hillier area is home to solar farming and wind farming while the expanses of the lower slope are covered in farms.   It's primary industries today are technology, tourism, and agricultural trade, all of which seems to sit well with the farmers.  While Hepzibah today just barely qualifies as a major metropolis, it is invariably the city that Canadians point to as what an ideal American city should be:  clean and relatively quite.

 

Make it as big as you need it to be.  Add supers and government agencies as you like.

 

Or throw the whole thing away.  I'll use it for something else.  

 

 

Thank you. That is the perfect place for this to happen. Small enough not to be noticed, but big enough to gather good data as a dry run to more important targets. If The Skull succeeds in this, and likes the data, and can create another dome projector, then cities which matter will be next.

 

By the way, is Hepzibah a real place in Colorado, or is it one of the many made up cities one can find in comics?

[steriaca]

Hepzibah, before the dome, was a place where a handful of permanent supers could fight the occasional crime in (about 4-6), and make a big dent in. There is about 12-18 permanent supervillains in the place. Note: The Skull is from outside the area. His agents started recruiting about a year ago especially for this dry run. The heros in episode one are all natives here (and may be the only superheroes in the area before the dome).

[Duke Bushido]

41 minutes ago, steriaca said:

Thank you. That is the perfect place for this to happen. Small enough not to be noticed, but big enough to gather good data as a dry run to more important targets. If The Skull succeeds in this, and likes the data, and can create another dome projector, then cities which matter will be next.

 

You're welcome.  Had I more time, I would have fleshed it out a bit more.  Not too much, mind you: intro adventure is more important than history, after all.  

 

 

Quote

 

By the way, is Hepzibah a real place in Colorado, or is it one of the many made up cities one can find in comics?

 

It's neither.  It's something I pulled out of my teeth this morning as I read your post.  I got to wondering just where we could find an environment large enough and urban enough to support the expectations of the genre _and_ not starve to death after ten days of isolation (the required farming you mentioned).  The Colorado western slope was the only place I could imagine such a city possible.  More importantly, it favors the Skull's plans, as while the region will support even dense farming (for a while), a walled-off area could not support a metropolis indefinitely.   Thus, the people _need_ the Skull's cooperation-- i.e., they are motivated to surrender.  The farming potential, even at maximum, simply means that they will starve to death _slowly_ as opposed to riots and death matches before the week is out.

 

Most importantly, water is abundant and easy to access, both surface water and ground water, and even the surface water in that area is remarkably clean (agriculturally speaking).  I opted for "cleaner" industry to prevent the city from choking to death under the dome, and the admittedly-insufficient solar and wind power (both of which should work wonderfully in this area: the location and geography is highly conducive to both constant breezes and clear skies) so that being cut off doesn't deny the story of elements that could make interesting scenes: it's possible-- Skull willing-- that hospitals could remain open, as could other vital things such as the water infrastructure and possibly even a police force (which is obviously not allowed to interfere with The Skull in any way   ).

 

The history was built to allow the city to have had multiple "surges" in growth, allowing for distinct and colorful "regions" should the GM desire them, and the name-- well, I just like the sound of "Hepzibah, Colorado."  Hepzibah is also a name of Biblical origin (Kings, but I can't remember if it's First Kings of Second Kings-- anyway, she is the wife of Hezekiah, one of the BC kings of Judah), which would be fitting to the era and method I present for the city's founding.  That, and I like the hope and aspiration of the name: "Hepzibah" is also the name intended for Zion (Jerusalem) once that city is restored to the favor of God.

 

So the name is at once unique, beautiful, meaningful, historic, hopeful, and just sounds a bit quirky enough to suggest that Hepzibah, Colorado might be both a memorable place, and a place homey enough to settle down.  

 

 

Please, please, please, please do not take this as being prideful or braggardly:

 

I know a lot of stuff.  It comes from both research related to writing and editing, reading voraciously (I'm a pretty boring guy: most of my "pleasure reading" is non-fiction), and paying a hell of a lot of attention.  I also like to draw connections.  So yeah, I know a lot of oddball, useless, and fun stuff.  None of it is advanced math, for which I am very, _very_ happy, as that knowledge gap has allowed me to enjoy Champions far, far more than it seems I am supposed to have  )

 

 

At any rate, if you will have it, the city is yours, and can be put to work hosting the dome.  If you find it suitable (the plot is _yours_, after all), I will see if I can find time this weekend (I'm tearing out and re-installing some damaged ceilings after an air conditioner disaster), I will see about a rough map or two of at least the area.

 

 

Duke

 

EDIT:  almost forgot:  I threw in the Canadian reference because I've never been to a Canadian city that wasn't clean, remarkably quiet (compare to our own, at least) , and just generally "felt happier" than any major metropolis I've been to in the US.  I _like_ that, and I wanted to include it.  This was true even in Quebec, and as great as mostCanadians are to get along with, the Quebecois I've met are damned hard to like (even by American standards), but still seem happier than the typical US city dweller.

 

 

[Hugh Neilson]

I'm approaching this from the perspective that it is intended as an intro to both the campaign and to the Hero System for new players.  That may colour my comments.

 

10 hours ago, steriaca said:

Here is the idea layout for the first "chapter".

 

Part 1: The heroes vs Skulls to get a rare element from a local scientist. The Skull doesn't actually need it, but it would be nice for him to have extra, just in case. Part 1 is to learn basic combat.

 

 

That makes sense - probably a battle the Heroes are in no danger of losing, but get some hits from both sides and they should learn basic combat.  While a couple of short snappers before the main plot would also work, I prefer the scenario being relevant from the outset.  Maybe this is also when the Skull becomes aware of the Super opposition he will have to deal with.

 

10 hours ago, steriaca said:

Part 1.5: Feel free to allow the players to investigate The Skulls. Gives you an excuse to work thoes skills and tallents.

 

As an introductory scenario, sections for skills and other non-combat abilities illustrate a significant aspect of the system.  I suggest that this should be important to the overall plot.  Otherwise, the message sent is "don't waste your points on non-combat skills and talents, as they don't really drive success anyway".  This is their first opportunity to use those skills.  Make them see their value.

 

10 hours ago, steriaca said:

Part 2: The heroes respond to a major and rather public bank robbery committed by The Skulls and various hiered supervillains. This is a major event, as it servrs as a distraction while The Skull activates the device and dome the city.

 

This is a good spot to allow the characters to consider tweaks/rebuilds.  We may have one who saw the value of noncombat abilities in Part 1.5, and another whose build just does not perform like he expected.  Let them fix these issues, rather than changing characters or playing an unsatisfying character.

 

10 hours ago, steriaca said:

Part 3: The heroes investigate the dome itself. There should be no way through it, to break it, and it's sourse of energy is unknown.

 

So their noncombat abilities can be dusted off and used for a bit, but they will not be allowed to achieve anything of any importance.  What message is being sent about the value of those abilities, and well-rounded characters in general?

 

BTW, consider how the Dome will deal with a Teleporter and a Desolidifier.  Both may feel cheated if their abilities are useless, but both could wreck the scenario.  A character with long-distance communication skills could be equally problematic, if part of the plan is to cut off contact with the outside world.  "Mind Scan until I connect with a politician outside the dome, then use the link to Telepathically communicate with him.  Keep trying every phase until I get through."

 

10 hours ago, steriaca said:

Part 3.5: The villains are just as trapped inside Dome City as the heroes. Allow for some teaming up for a "good" cause between some villains and the heroes.

 

Part 4: The episode closes with Skulls assasinating various city scientist. Can thw heroes save them?

 

And that ends chapter 1...

 

I like Part 3.5 - a connected, but sideline, chapter.  A battle between two Supers teams would also be good - this scenario doesn't really lend itself to direct use of such a scenario.

 

How come the heroes' investigative skills could not help them identify scientists who could be helpful?  They know the region, which should counterbalance some of the Skull's intelligence advantage.  But does Part 4 belong this late?  Wouldn't he want to take out the biggest threats to his plan before the Dome even goes up? 

 

Now, what could be cool would be attempts against various scientists which, when the heroes figure out what they all have in common, causes them to leave the area until the heroes can root out and defeat that threat...which is EXACTLY what the Skull wanted - they won't be here to offer any assistance when the dome goes up. 

 

The episode could close with some investigation, and the Skull's reveal as being responsible for the Dome -  and here is what will happen now...

 

3 hours ago, steriaca said:

To answer some questions:

 

There should be some farmland surrounding the city which is also trapped under the dome. With some help, Dome City can be self sufficient with milk and eggs, as long as the cows and chickens hold out.

 

Plants might have a hard time under the dome, but they should recover with a little help. This is important because, well, bread and animal feed.

 

If air and light gets through,, is there an issue for plants?  This does remind me to note the water supply needs to be considered.

 

1 hour ago, steriaca said:

Hepzibah, before the dome, was a place where a handful of permanent supers could fight the occasional crime in (about 4-6), and make a big dent in. There is about 12-18 permanent supervillains in the place. Note: The Skull is from outside the area. His agents started recruiting about a year ago especially for this dry run. The heros in episode one are all natives here (and may be the only superheroes in the area before the dome).

 

Call that 24 Supers.  What does it say about the world?  What is the population of Hepzibah?  Check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_statistical_areas#United_States

 

If it's about the size of Fargo, we establish 1 in 10,000 people are Supers.  We're not likely a significant anomaly if we're not being noticed, are we?  [Maybe we are and Supers are pretty new, so Skull notices first and it's part of his plan.]  If it's 1 in 50,000, we're more at the size of Buffalo - the top 50 US urban centers.  That's harder to "not notice".

 

Are all the Supers in prime fighting condition?  Are there others who are lower-powered, retired, etc.?  What are the demographics, and how common are Superpowers?

 

[steriaca]

Generally spraking, the population is about light (1 in 100,000). It is "fly over" for many people, and a rather few of the major players have there fingers there. (In the CU, VIPER might have a minor nest there, no DEMON there, ARGENT has a small lab which Skull will "deal with" in the days before the dome.)

 

As for the assassinations, they are winding down by the time Part 4 is starting. He tries to do them in a rather low key way ("accidents"), and by the time the dome goes up, he is having then finished up (and be more overt).

 

As for desolification, they will be taken care of via a KA, affects desolification" triggered effect. Same with teleportation and even EXDM (multiple triggers on the walls of the dome, so touching, desolification, teleporting, even tunneling won't provide an excape).

[Duke Bushido]

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

That makes sense - probably a battle the Heroes are in no danger of losing, but get some hits from both sides and they should learn basic combat.  

 

Agreed.

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

As an introductory scenario, sections for skills and other non-combat abilities illustrate a significant aspect of the system.  I suggest that this should be important to the overall plot.  Otherwise, the message sent is "don't waste your points on non-combat skills and talents, as they don't really drive success anyway".  This is their first opportunity to use those skills.  Make them see their value.

 

Ninja-Bear just offered something that I think would dovetail nicely into the skills side of things.  I'll revisit that in a minute (it's why I jumped off the phone and onto the computer; I do not like thumb typing at all.)

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 

This is a good spot to allow the characters to consider tweaks/rebuilds.  We may have one who saw the value of noncombat abilities in Part 1.5, and another whose build just does not perform like he expected.  Let them fix these issues, rather than changing characters or playing an unsatisfying character.

 

Agreed again, and again, I think Ninja-Bear's suggestion can be laced in here as well, as a bit of story that can be used to make the character-generation tweaking "part of the story" as opposed to an interruption of it.  (still; it needs to happen _after_ the play session has closed)

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 

So their noncombat abilities can be dusted off and used for a bit, but they will not be allowed to achieve anything of any importance.

 

Not true.  They will have learned that it's inviolable, deadly, and the power source and/or machinery are well hidden.   If you don't want to make observations or use skills, then they could draw straws to see who tries to walk through it, but the Skills and observations prevent them from having to bring in the understudy.  They will also learn that they don't know what the power source is (yet).  If they're familiar with electrical engineering, they known it ain't that.  If they're familiar with harnessing radiation this way or that, well they know it ain't that.  Hydraulics?  Nope.  Ain't that either.   

 

A quick comparison of notes shows a very specific list of what they don't know, and would suggest getting some aid from somewhere.  High-tech industries are par for the course here, and we have a high-tech villain.  Could be fun, depending on the direction the investigation goes.  Access to a lab and a bit of time provides both additional knowledge and bonuses to the Skills.  You said yourself you wanted to offer players a chance to learn how to use their skills.   Stopping to re-work a character was a completely obvious thing to you (and isn't to me, but we've had that discussion years ago), but "additional research for bonuses on Skills" wasn't?  And of course, meeting new people and making new contacts comes into play here as well.  Who knows?  Depending on where we go with this, they may end up chatting with the Skull himself (which _probably_ won't get them a lot of help, really, but it might be an interesting encounter for a telepath or some other such character....)

 

Remember that this is intended not just as an adventure -- hopefully a _first_ adventure in a series-- but also an introduction to the series for people who new to HERO.  Yes; it may require a bit of nudging just a bit, but the same way that "here's a chance to dither with your build a bit" is, apparently, an important part of Champions, so, to, is the Skills system (awkward though it may be).  Part of that system is just like the combat that seems to drive so many of the conversations here:  there are things you can do to improve your results.  Here's a chance to learn about that, and to go do it.

 

That's all.  It's not a stone wall.  It might take a nudge, but it's not a stone wall.  It's an opportunity to teach a tactic.  Granted, I know that a large number of players "play for the combat," and non-combat "tactics" are a non-thing for them, but we'd like to see at least the first adventure offer a small something for everyone.

 

 

I don't know if you've been following along the initial thread, but some of those shadowing and concealment and stealth skills might, at this early point, reveal that certain Skulls seem to be able to move freely through the barrier.  Now we study up on how that might be done.  We might also learn of trace elements leached into the ground, etc.  Things that are helpful potential shortcuts but aren't "roll 13- to break the scenario."

 

Besides, I think NB's idea will dovetail in here, too.

 

 

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

What message is being sent about the value of those abilities, and well-rounded characters in general?

 

"There are things you can do to make them even more useful, and interacting with your world just a little bit ca really pay off."?   Yes, it's one of those "totally unimportant non-combat messages" for a number of people, but not for everyone.

 

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

BTW, consider how the Dome will deal with a Teleporter and a Desolidifier.  Both may feel cheated if their abilities are useless, but both could wreck the scenario.  A character with long-distance communication skills could be equally problematic, if part of the plan is to cut off contact with the outside world.  "Mind Scan until I connect with a politician outside the dome, then use the link to Telepathically communicate with him.  Keep trying every phase until I get through."

 

Postulating an rough capsuled area of 500 square miles, there's still a good deal of use for any of these powers short of breaking the game, of course, but yes: this is a bit of exercise for the GM:  For our first characters, we're not going to use Teleport characters (or the adders and modifiers for it) or telepathic powers (or based on ECV or various other modifiers).  We want to teach the basics, and ruling out a couple of "first time" builds isn't going to affect that: the basics of _everything_ isn't the basics of the system, after all.  Though depending on where this ends up, telepathy of a sort may enhance the fun.  Teleporters may be able to get in and out, but take damage doing so.  Who knows?  This is just a rough sketch.  Feel free to throw in some details.

 

For what it's worth, I believe the idea is to cut off communication, leaving the Skull in charge of all relations through the Dome, but I also like the idea of some sort of telepathy-- possibly with a hard strain to keep it from becoming too problematic in terms of the story-- as a secret tool in the hands of the heroes.  I also admit, however, that this may not fly for everyone.

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 

I like Part 3.5 - a connected, but sideline, chapter.  A battle between two Supers teams would also be good - this scenario doesn't really lend itself to direct use of such a scenario.

 

How come the heroes' investigative skills could not help them identify scientists who could be helpful? 

 

Who says they can't?  particularly in light of the fact that among these people will likely be listed the people they sought out after the "investigate the dome" sequence in the hopes of learning more or getting access to labs-- the bonuses to their skill rolls.  That was what I read the set up here as, anyway:  after a cursory investigation of the dome, finding qualified scientists is the next logical step.  Thus, the heroes may actually have a head-start (thanks to their earlier skill rolls) on figuring out who (at least some of ) the targets are.   The threat made was "if the heroes are in time" not "too bad they aren't in time."

 

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

But does Part 4 belong this late?  Wouldn't he want to take out the biggest threats to his plan before the Dome even goes up? 

 

My take away from that was that one or more of these scientists was involved, knowingly or not, in some part of the Dome, and that one or more others, knowingly or not, had a pretty good chance of figuring out how to undo it.  However, it wasn't until now that the Skull no longer had a need for them.  Perhaps he now has enough route-trained me to operate the equipment without knowledge of the science, or his own scientists have just now finished proofing the portable, super-strong version with which he will size control of the 100 most financially-influential cities in the world.   Whatever the reason, in classic bad guy tope, it isn't until now that these people have made the transition for "tapped resource" to simply "loose ends."  Likely he would start with those who are not aligned with him in some way, then work his way toward his confidants.  (Not you, Jim.  You and your team are vital!  But you _must_ be the only ones who know the secret of the Skull Dome energy field.....   *BANG!*   )

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

Now, what could be cool would be attempts against various scientists which, when the heroes figure out what they all have in common, causes them to leave the area until the heroes can root out and defeat that threat...which is EXACTLY what the Skull wanted - they won't be here to offer any assistance when the dome goes up. 

 

That goes two ways, though.  If he traps them in here with him, they can't get out and share the secret with those who might stop him, and it's much easier to hunt them down and off them in here than it is out there.

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

If air and light gets through,, is there an issue for plants?  This does remind me to note the water supply needs to be considered.

 

Light and air are assumed, or there's no one in the dome to save.  Water has been taken care of by placing the city where it is abundant and providing two self-sufficient power sources to keep the municipal and dual systems up and running.

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 

Call that 24 Supers.  What does it say about the world?  What is the population of Hepzibah?

 

Don't know.  Haven't nailed it down for a couple of reasons:  

 

first, say it's in the top 100 big cities in the US, but it's pretty low on the list.  Call it #98.  If that sounds too big, then drop it some more.  Let's say there are between 18 and 36 super guys, with the players being up to six of them, and call it good.  same thing I suggest doing to this:

 

 

16 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

If it's about the size of Fargo, we establish 1 in 10,000 people are Supers.  We're not likely a significant anomaly if we're not being noticed, are we?  [Maybe we are and Supers are pretty new, so Skull notices first and it's part of his plan.]  If it's 1 in 50,000, we're more at the size of Buffalo - the top 50 US urban centers.  That's harder to "not notice".

 

Are all the Supers in prime fighting condition?  Are there others who are lower-powered, retired, etc.?  What are the demographics, and how common are Superpowers?

 

 

 

The demographics fit into a 60-or-less page adventure, including characters, maps, GM notes, etc.  Why?

 

Because every damned thing in this system needing a 340-page sourcebook is precisely the turn off we're trying to fight.

 

And because it's serialized.  The setting and the details will grow, hopefully faster than they are needed, but certainly no slower.

[Duke Bushido]

Aw, Hell; 

 

I got so tied up in the above that I didn't try to dovetail NB's ideas in.

 

Real rough pass, as I've got to get back to work on the ceiling; wish I had a bit more time to place the bits at certain points, but anyone who wants to is certainly welcome.  Anyway, here are the points I was hoping to work in.

 

During the early investigation, PCs discover that there is "pollutant x" in a certain area off in farm country.  If this line is pursued, characters will find a pond on an empty farm that is highly toxic with pollutant x, and it's starting to leach into the ground, threatening the river (currently the largest source of water for agriculture and a secondary source of water for Hepzibah) and possibly the ground water (the primary source of water for Hepzibah),  and "pollutant x" seems to be appearing in proximity to various points around the perimeter of the dome.

 

Pollutant X is really unusual, and in the past has been most closely linked with a particular kind of device-- let's say, at least for now, as super-battery of some sort.  Only two, perhaps three, places in Hepzibah doing any research on that front, though two of them maintain that everything they are doing there is theoretical stuff-- just the math, at this point, and are nowhere near ready to start testing live product.  Company 3  (Ooh!  I like that name!  Make that the official name!    )  Company 3 has begun some live testing, but only on very small in-lab scale owing to the potential environmental impact.  Yes, Pollutant x is a _potential_ side-effect of large-scale manufacture of super-batteries, which is why we ain't doin' it yet.

 

Company 3 has also come under attack from an as-yet unidentified super.

 

See the original thread that inspired this one for NB's original idea, and tuck them in here and there to flesh the world and the adventure out a bit.

 

This also leads to the idea that Skull works for one of these companies, and has been doing some research on his own.  The unnamed super (MuckMan) seems to think Company 3 is up to something.  Is that where the pollutant x is coming from?  Does Skull work there?  (not that MuckMan cares about that at this point)  Is Company 3 innocent and Skull himself has stolen the research for himself and has he been large-scale producing super-batteries to power his Dome?

 

Gotta run.   Someone else have fun working that into the skeleton story line.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Hugh Neilson]

2 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

Not true.  They will have learned that it's inviolable, deadly, and the power source and/or machinery are well hidden.   If you don't want to make observations or use skills, then they could draw straws to see who tries to walk through it, but the Skills and observations prevent them from having to bring in the understudy.  They will also learn that they don't know what the power source is (yet).  If they're familiar with electrical engineering, they known it ain't that.  If they're familiar with harnessing radiation this way or that, well they know it ain't that.  Hydraulics?  Nope.  Ain't that either.  

 

I see some players getting frustrated, especially if they are playing pre-gens with all of these skills that serve only to highlight that they know absolutely nothing of use.   The description was:

 

Part 3: The heroes investigate the dome itself. There should be no way through it, to break it, and it's sourse of energy is unknown.

 

Then other stuff happens since their skills will not do anything to actually advance the game.

 

 

2 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

A quick comparison of notes shows a very specific list of what they don't know, and would suggest getting some aid from somewhere.  High-tech industries are par for the course here, and we have a high-tech villain.  Could be fun, depending on the direction the investigation goes.  Access to a lab and a bit of time provides both additional knowledge and bonuses to the Skills.  You said yourself you wanted to offer players a chance to learn how to use their skills.   Stopping to re-work a character was a completely obvious thing to you (and isn't to me, but we've had that discussion years ago), but "additional research for bonuses on Skills" wasn't?  And of course, meeting new people and making new contacts comes into play here as well.  Who knows?  Depending on where we go with this, they may end up chatting with the Skull himself (which _probably_ won't get them a lot of help, really, but it might be an interesting encounter for a telepath or some other such character....)

 

Remember that this is intended not just as an adventure -- hopefully a _first_ adventure in a series-- but also an introduction to the series for people who new to HERO.  Yes; it may require a bit of nudging just a bit, but the same way that "here's a chance to dither with your build a bit" is, apparently, an important part of Champions, so, to, is the Skills system (awkward though it may be).  Part of that system is just like the combat that seems to drive so many of the conversations here:  there are things you can do to improve your results.  Here's a chance to learn about that, and to go do it.

 

That's all.  It's not a stone wall.  It might take a nudge, but it's not a stone wall.  It's an opportunity to teach a tactic.  Granted, I know that a large number of players "play for the combat," and non-combat "tactics" are a non-thing for them, but we'd like to see at least the first adventure offer a small something for everyone.

 

 

I don't know if you've been following along the initial thread, but some of those shadowing and concealment and stealth skills might, at this early point, reveal that certain Skulls seem to be able to move freely through the barrier.  Now we study up on how that might be done.  We might also learn of trace elements leached into the ground, etc.  Things that are helpful potential shortcuts but aren't "roll 13- to break the scenario."

 

THIS is what Part 3 should be contemplating.  Not "they can learn nothing useful about the dome" but "they can learn these things, find those hooks, follow up on these leads and that is how they get to the next part".  Make their unique skills useful.

 

2 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

Postulating an rough capsuled area of 500 square miles, there's still a good deal of use for any of these powers short of breaking the game, of course, but yes: this is a bit of exercise for the GM:  For our first characters, we're not going to use Teleport characters (or the adders and modifiers for it) or telepathic powers (or based on ECV or various other modifiers).  We want to teach the basics, and ruling out a couple of "first time" builds isn't going to affect that: the basics of _everything_ isn't the basics of the system, after all.  Though depending on where this ends up, telepathy of a sort may enhance the fun.  Teleporters may be able to get in and out, but take damage doing so.  Who knows?  This is just a rough sketch.  Feel free to throw in some details.

 

 

The key is to assess these issues up front and be ready for them.  The intro adventure can certainly say "these powers are off-limits", or just require pre-gens (not my favorite approach, and one reason I suspect the original MSH did not really take off - "here, play someone else's character" is not the approach a lot of gamers want, at least in my experience).  If those abilities are a possibility, though, their impact needs to be addressed.

 

2 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

first, say it's in the top 100 big cities in the US, but it's pretty low on the list.  Call it #98.  If that sounds too big, then drop it some more.  Let's say there are between 18 and 36 super guys, with the players being up to six of them, and call it good. 

 

The demographics fit into a 60-or-less page adventure, including characters, maps, GM notes, etc.  Why?

 

Because every damned thing in this system needing a 340-page sourcebook is precisely the turn off we're trying to fight.

 

And because it's serialized.  The setting and the details will grow, hopefully faster than they are needed, but certainly no slower.

 

First off, if the idea is "no one notices", that seems unlikely for a city the size of, say, Buffalo.

 

Second, I did not say the adventure needs to include these demographics.  I said we have to consider them, as we are setting the groundwork for the world, which should remain consistent.  If there are typically only 1 in a million people with powers, will the players not logically ask "how were there six of us, three other Heroes and over a dozen villains, in our little town"? 

 

Would you not also expect players to ask about the larger world?  Would their characters not know whether there are another 50 to 100 teams about the same as their group in the US, or that they can expect no help even if their plight were to become known?  If this town is normal, future adventures should reflect that.  If it is not,, we should have an idea of that, and ideally why that is.  But if it were that unusual, would it go unnoticed as the plot requires?

 

Now, maybe this town IS unusual, superpowers are recent development so no one realizes that (or the Skull is the first) and there is a great reason for that - which we are not going to share right now because it is an intro adventure and that is not the focus.  But the knowledge the heroes would logically know needs to be in this intro, and if this is to be the first of many adventures in this setting, the authors need to have the basics down, even if they are not sharing it because it's not needed by the GM or players yet.

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

All valid points, as usual, (especially with the original MSH and the terrible 'build your own character' system it included) and I wish I had the time to address them (back to work on the ceiling), and if I have time later, I will (except for the MSH one; I'm trying to stay on task). 

 

The idea I half-floated (and would sort of like to see) is that the Skull is the first _at least in this city_, and his gift is brains enough to eventually develop super-science.  I would like to see that his dabblings with the early stages of the energy field are what caused the creation of other supers in this area, including the Pcs.   I think this lends itself more easily to a world with no ties to anyone else's properties and also to a world in which even simple, unrefined "starter characters" feel special; a wold in which they are uncomparibly super because no one with three decades of experience is designing super-efficient, heavily-tweaked opponents or competitors for them.   Remember the simple builds of the first enemies that were packed in the back of the 1 and 2e books?  I'm not saying shoot for that, per se, but I am saying if that's the grasp of the rules the new player manages the first time around, then that should still feel pretty damned special to the new player, and the simplest way to portray that is to have very few other supers, at least at first. 

 

_however_, I am _not_ married to the idea, and as Steriaca contributed the plot, I'm perfectly content to follow his lead. 

 

Gotta run.  It's rather too warm up here to stop for long. 

[Hugh Neilson]

1 hour ago, Duke Bushido said:

The idea I half-floated (and would sort of like to see) is that the Skull is the first _at least in this city_, and his gift is brains enough to eventually develop super-science.  I would like to see that his dabblings with the early stages of the energy field are what caused the creation of other supers in this area, including the Pcs.   I think this lends itself more easily to a world with no ties to anyone else's properties and also to a world in which even simple, unrefined "starter characters" feel special; a wold in which they are uncomparibly super because no one with three decades of experience is designing super-efficient, heavily-tweaked opponents or competitors for them.   Remember the simple builds of the first enemies that were packed in the back of the 1 and 2e books?  I'm not saying shoot for that, per se, but I am saying if that's the grasp of the rules the new player manages the first time around, then that should still feel pretty damned special to the new player, and the simplest way to portray that is to have very few other supers, at least at first.

 

This would work as well, and it need not even be known to the reader out of the gate.  They could discover it as they go along.  But that backstory also sets certain constraints.  A player can't be a "Legacy" dating back to WW II if we are starting with the first Supers ever.  We've left out aliens from another planet, and maybe even the obsessed, highly trained normal.  Certainly, he could not have been motivated from desire to prove you don't need super-powers to be a Superhero if there have never been Superheroes.

 

All of that is OK, but it needs to be clear from the first draft, and the players and GM need to know the backstory that their characters would know.

 

And this would be a true Game Powered by Hero System - the beginnings of a setting.

[steriaca]

I never ment Dome City to bev"the first supers ever" setting. But it could be that way. Omit all parts from episold one up to "the dome is up". Then have them attacked by Skulls to teach them combat. Then skills to find out what and why.

 

But my focus for part one is to teach new players the game, and to start the seeds of an intresting multi-part story.

[Duke Bushido]

1 hour ago, steriaca said:

I never ment Dome City to bev"the first supers ever" setting. But it could be that way. Omit all parts from episold one up to "the dome is up". Then have them attacked by Skulls to teach them combat. Then skills to find out what and why.

 

Fair enough.  How do you feel about "first real supers in Hepzibah," though supers are known throughout the world?  (there's a reason I'm asking, but as I told Hugh, I am perfectly content to follow your lead.  Also, whether or not they are the first, I don't think it's necessary to delete everything up to "the dome is up."  First off, once the dome is up, we expect at least preliminary investigation to begin.  I can speak only for myself and the group I was in, but when I made my first "superhero" character, the first thing I wanted to do was _be super_.  I couldn't wait to get into at least one scrap just to see how I stacked up next to Joe Thug and his cowardly associates.  Certainly we may have been an unusual case, but I'm betting we weren't.  I suspect that new players-- the people we're actually looking to draw-- would prefer that as well.   Then they can get all "here's how my skills contribute to the group" and fall into the story.

 

1 hour ago, steriaca said:

 

But my focus for part one is to teach new players the game, and to start the seeds of an intresting multi-part story.

 

I agree completely.  I hope we can pull it off.  However, I would like to point out that the characters being the first supers in the city doesn't really detract from that.  In fact, it might even put some pressure on them to "set the bar" for whoever comes along behind them.

 

 

3 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

I see some players getting frustrated, especially if they are playing pre-gens with all of these skills that serve only to highlight that they know absolutely nothing of use.   The description was:

 

The description was a rough "action outline;" nothing more.  We're filling in the details now, albeit very slowly.  And do feel free to contribute some details; the more the merrier.  

 

3 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

THIS is what Part 3 should be contemplating.  Not "they can learn nothing useful about the dome" but "they can learn these things, find those hooks, follow up on these leads and that is how they get to the next part".  Make their unique skills useful.

 

So next time we'll use longer sentences.  

 

 

3 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

 

The key is to assess these issues up front and be ready for them.  The intro adventure can certainly say "these powers are off-limits", or just require pre-gens (not my favorite approach, and one reason I suspect the original MSH did not really take off - "here, play someone else's character" is not the approach a lot of gamers want, at least in my experience).  If those abilities are a possibility, though, their impact needs to be addressed.

 

Agreed, but let's get the thing hashed out before reviewing it for cautions, lest concern for cautions stifle creativity.  Editing isn't easy, and it's even more isn't easy when you're carrying a barrel of red flags along for the trip  (it's kind of like dating, in that regard   )

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

This would work as well, and it need not even be known to the reader out of the gate.  They could discover it as they go along.  But that backstory also sets certain constraints.  A player can't be a "Legacy" dating back to WW II if we are starting with the first Supers ever.  We've left out aliens from another planet, and maybe even the obsessed, highly trained normal. 

 

 

Odd you should mention him.  I had an inspiration..  well, not an inspiration.  Not by any means.  Hell, I'd go so far as to use that most detestable of words (thanks, internet!) and call it a Trope.   So let's say I've had an idea for the "We are stuck" character.  Granted, I was working on the assumption that the Player Characters would be the first supers in the city (if not the world) when I had the thought, and I was a bit distracted by the work I've been doing today, but this character-- likely one of the "sample six" I suggested at the outset of this discussion (was that in the other thread?).

 

Meet The Raven:

 

Stanton Wills was a well-respected investigative journalist working the big cases.  His byline was gaining national recognition, and more than once his work and his stories were weeks ahead of the police investigations into the same crimes.  Maybe he was just more driven than most; maybe he had a personal stake in what he was doing; maybe he was just looking for that same adrenaline high he got when he was deployed and his men were drawing fire.  No one asked, just so long as he kept delivering the sensational results.

 

Four years ago he began investing the "sickness" that was killing livestock on one of the west slope farms a few miles from town.  That led to an investigation of recent activity on the organized crime front, and Wills knew that somehow they were related.  The last anyone heard from him was a voice mail he left for his editor:  "Look, Mark; I'm on to something really big here; world-shaking kind of big.  I'm going to have to stay on it for a few days.  Don't expect to see me for at least a week, maybe two."   Four days later, the HFD put out the remains of a smoldering car on a lonely stretch of two lane.  Inside were three bodies: Wills, his wife, and their son.  To this day, the case remains unsolved.

 

The car had been forced off the road by three larger vehicles.  As soon as it stopped, men armed with flamethrowers leapt from the other vehicles and attacked.  Wills put up one Hell of a fight, and suffered greatly for it.  He was unable to save his family.  In the end, he managed to take one assailant with him.  It is the ashen bones of that man who occupied the driver's seat of the burned hulk.

 

Wills is driven for revenge.  He continues his investigation as best he can, but with the burn scars and damage to his face and lungs, it's difficult to follow his traditional methods.  He has decided it's best to stay dead.  From his career, he has made several contacts, some in the underworld, some on the police department, and some in the various tech firms and research labs around the city.  It was through these contacts-- some of whom owed their livelihoods to Wills' expose stories, that he was able to procure specialized equipment to help him in his investigation, not the least important of which are the armored and fireproof great coat and the special respirator through which he breathes (in addition to temperature-regulating the air entering his lungs, it mists that same air with the vital surfactants his lungs can no longer produce in sufficient quantity to allow any exertion without mechanical assistance), and the pair of drum-fed handguns (mostly non-lethal) and other small tools he uses to further his search for the crime syndicate-- and leader of that syndicate-- that ordered the hit on his life that claimed his family.  

 

Taking in his appearance in his goggles (flash protection, recording, and night-vision as well as zoom-in capability as well as to correct the vision of his heat-damged corneas) and the oddly-pointed respirator, he took and inspiration from the old Lamont Cranston stories and donned a wide-brimmed hat to conceal himself even more.  Then, mostly as a flair, he painted the respirator bright yellow, with a few red "blood smears" for effect.  He hunts the streets looking for leads and beating his way through criminals on his quest.  Using the skills he learned in the military and his natural investigative talents, he has built a reputation for himself, and there are few shady characters on the street who, when traveling alone or in pairs, don't look over their shoulders, checking for the Raven.

 

 

I haven't stated him up yet, mostly because I am not familiar enough with 6e to feel comfortable making three different levels of him for 300 points or so.  However, Hugh, I _heartily_ encourage you or anyone else to do so.

 

I see this character as someone who, if the PCs have too much trouble with their investigations, will get wind that the PCs are investigating the same thing that he is, or that their investigation may be related, and come hunting them to drop a hint or suggestion.  Not a GMPC!  Just a "Captain Cluebat" kind of guy for "emergency use only."  You know:  after hunting them up:

 

"You've been investigating The Dome.  What have you learned?"

blah-blah-blah don't know.

"Endless Energy on 53rd, near the big fountain.  Talk to Dusqie.  He's got some ideas."

 

Then "poof."  Gone.  Like I said: emergency use only.

 

This is also why I envision him as not being a good fit for a team: to prevent him from becoming a GMPC.  He should be a skilled HTH and gun combatant, a couple of smoke bombs for when things go sour, and a couple of gas bombs for controlling a large rush of mooks.  Other than that, at _no_ power level should be outshine the PCs, _ever_.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Hugh Neilson said:

All of that is OK, but it needs to be clear from the first draft, and the players and GM need to know the backstory that their characters would know.

 

Dude, let us get an actual story worked up first.  Then we'll see which parts of it are "up front crucial."  I appreciate the cart, but we don't have a horse yet.  

 

 

1 hour ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

And this would be a true Game Powered by Hero System - the beginnings of a setting.

 

 

That's the hope.

 

Let's see how long the hope holds out.